The Latest: Cordray faces critics as he readies governor bid

Former consumer watchdog Richard Cordray is set to announce his bid for Ohio governor on Tuesday.

The 58-year-old Democrat's long-anticipated announcement is scheduled for Tuesday morning at a diner in Grove City.

As he enters a crowded race, Cordray is viewed as among Democrats' strongest contenders to seize a critical swing state from Republicans next year.

He resigned last month as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, one of the last major Obama-era holdouts in the Trump administration. He's also been Ohio's attorney general and treasurer.

He faces a tough battle. Besides five other Democrats already running for the state's top job, state and national Republicans have maintained steady attacks on his record.

3 p.m.

Former consumer watchdog Richard Cordray has tapped a somewhat overqualified person to keep the books for his gubernatorial campaign: a former treasurer of the United States.

Cordray listed fellow Democrat Mary Ellen Withrow as his campaign's treasurer on a form filed Monday. The filing came a day ahead of the planned launch of Cordray's campaign for governor.

The 87-year-old Withrow is a native of Marion, Ohio. She was twice elected Ohio's state treasurer before President Bill Clinton nominated her in 1994 as U.S. treasurer. She served in the position from 1994 to 2001. She introduced the State Quarters Project, authorized issuance of the Sacagawea dollar and the redesigned $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 bills.

Withrow's name appears on 67 million pieces of U.S. currency totalling $1.1 trillion.

2 p.m.

Former consumer watchdog Richard Cordray is set to announce his bid for Ohio governor on Tuesday.

An adviser to the Democrat's campaign tells The Associated Press that Cordray will make the long-anticipated announcement Tuesday in his hometown of Grove City. The adviser spoke on condition of anonymity because the information was not yet public.

The 58-year-old Cordray is viewed as among Democrats' strongest contenders to seize a critical swing state from Republicans next year.

He resigned last month as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, one of the last major Obama-era holdouts in the Trump administration. He's also been Ohio's attorney general and treasurer.

Five Democrats are already in the race for the state's top job. National Republicans also have already begun steadily attacking his record.